How Can I Keep From Singing?
by Ever Winter Wood
Summary: Everyone at Jump City High School knows Raelynn Rachel Roth, the cold, gothic Ice Queen, is mute. So what happens when four students need tutoring and Raelynn gets picked for the job?


**Note:** The song Heart and Soul is a piano tune with lyrics, but my awesome older sister made some different ones. They are in here, but please, please, _please_ do NOT take them! My sister works hard on all of her songs, and since she gave me permission to use these I don't want to abuse her trust. I repeat, do not take the lyrics! They are the property of my sister! Also, used in this chapter are parts of the songs Heart and Soul (the tune), Listen to the Rain (Evanescence), and God Must Have Spent ('N Sync).

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Teen Titans, nor do I own the songs used in this chapter except for the lyrics to Heart and Soul.

**Chapter One: The Mysterious Beginning**

_"Heart and soul—that's what you gave to me and I know you're sweet love for me carries from the east to the west. I take your hand; your guide me beside still waters. You make me lay down in green pastures…"_

Raelynn sat on the dark red piano bench, her small eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she continued playing the piano and singing. Despite being just seven years old, the girl was playing almost perfectly, and her soft, youthful voice was full of potential.

_"Heart and soul—they are yours now; you're in control. You made everything around me such beauty. Surely love and goodness will follow me all the days of my life because you are my heart and soul."_

Clapping greeted the ending of the song she had written, and Raelynn stood up the piano and gave a small bow, a shy smile on her face as she looked at her audience. Her mother, Angela Roth, gave her daughter a large smile, nodding in approval. Her mom's best and only friend, Bruce Wayne—whom Raelynn called Uncle Bruce—stood up and tackled Raelynn, lifting her in the air and swinging her around a few times. "That-a-girl, Rae-Rae! That's your best one yet!" he roared playfully, holding the girl to his chest. Raelynn giggled quietly and snuggled deep against her second favorite person in the world, next to her mother.

Angela stood from her spot on the couch and walked over, taking Raelynn from the billionaire and planting a soft kiss on her forehead. "It's perfect," she whispered in her ear, before setting the girl down. "Now, it's bedtime. I let you stay up to sing for Uncle Bruce, but now you have to go to sleep."

Raelynn pouted, but obediently scrambled down from her mother and raced up the stairs to her room. Angela smiled fondly after her and Bruce chuckled, saying, "I never thought a seven year old could be so obedient."

Angela suddenly frowned, sinking back onto the couch. "I know. It's not normal. I was always a quiet child, but Raelynn… well, she's so quiet it scares me sometimes. She never makes a fuss over anything, and she rarely speaks unless it's through song." The elegant woman sighed, uncharacteristically tugging on her black hair in worry.

Bruce allowed himself a grin and plopped down next to her. "I think I would prefer that to what I have to live with," he said with a rumbling laugh in his voice.

Angela perked up slightly. "Oh, yes, I almost forgot. How's Richard settling?"

"He's doing as good as can be expected from someone who just got adopted by a billionaire," Bruce began as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "He keeps acting out though, doing dangerous things that scare the life out of me. Yesterday I saw him dangling from the chandelier in the front hall. When I asked how he got up there, he said he had jumped off the stairs." The prompt, pursed tone with worry underling it made Angela chuckle. Bruce looked offended.

"What's so funny?"

Angela smirked and said, "You are. I never would have thought another child, let alone a _former circus boy_, would have gotten under skin like Rae did."

Bruce made a noise of disagreement in the back of his throat, but a minuscule smile played on his lips. "Do you have any of your cookie dough for Alfred to use? You know how much Richard loves those cookies of yours."

Angela rolled her eyes and stood up, brushing nonexistent dirt off of her white, floor-length skirt before trotting into the kitchen. "Bruce, you know as well as I do that Richard isn't the one obsessed with my cookies."

Bruce grinned unashamedly and said, "Yup. You know me to well, Angie, darling!" Dramatically, he threw himself off the couch and pressed a hand to his forehead, pretending to faint.

"Come on, or I won't let you take any home. Then you'll have Alfred _and_ Richard on your back for being an egotistical ninnyhammer," Angela's voice sounded from the kitchen, making Bruce quickly stride into the room with worry. The butler was bad enough when he was mad, but add Richard and together they could fight Bruce's own legendary temper head-on.

Angela had set out two Tupperware containers full of muddy, chocolate dough. "Six batches of my infamous Chocolate Crinkles! Now, don't eat them all in one meal, Bruce." She held out a finger to him in a teasing warning.

"You won't tell me the secret ingredient, I suppose, right?" Bruce asked almost desperately as he took the two off-white containers. Angela smugly shook her head.

Bruce looked at her in despair. "I'll bet you told Rae-Rae already, didn't you! See, I knew it! I can tell by your face. All I have to do is offer her a little money, and she'll…" He tailed off at the looked of confidence and disgust on Angela's face.

"One, money cannot buy everything, and it most certainly cannot buy a Roth. Two, I did tell Rae, but I also told her not to tell anyone else. How are you going to get the most obedient child on earth to disobey her own mother?"

Bruce visibly deflated and gave his friend a glare. "Yeah, yeah," he muttered, but then laughed. "Never try to pick a fight with a woman, especially when that woman's you, Angie."

Angela nodded curtly, a teasing grin on her face. "Thank you. I'm glad we've established that. Now, I think it's time for you to go. You promised Alfred you'd be home by seven, and it's already seven-thirty."

Bruce's eyes widened and he quickly swooped down, giving the much smaller Angela a hug, before turning and running towards the front door, shouting, "Bye, Angie; call me tomorrow!"

Angela sighed and dragged her feet over the couch, where she fell down limply. That man was utterly exhausting with all of his antics. If she wasn't careful, he would start to corrupt Raelynn. Speaking of which…

Angela crept up the stairs suspiciously. Although Raelynn always obeyed her mother, she was still a child, and probably was lying awake trying to fall asleep, but not really _trying_. When Angela got to her daughter's room she silently cracked the door open and peered in. There in her little bed with violet sheets was her daughter, staring up at the ceiling and singing quietly to herself in her soft voice.

_"Listen to each drop of rain whispering secrets in vain—frantically searching for someone to hear their story before they hit ground. Please don't go; can't we stay for a while? It's just too hard to say goodbye. Listen to the rain…"_

Angela sighed, wondering where her daughter had heard that song. Although she was very proud of her daughter's musical genius, sometimes the type of songs she would write or sing—pretty as they were—frightened the woman. She opened the door fully and watched as Raelynn was instantly silent, worried about getting punished.

"Rae," she called out in the dark room, walking over and sitting on the edge of bed, "why aren't you sleeping?"

Raelynn squirmed uncomfortably for a moment before saying in a tiny, frightened voice, "I'm sorry, mommy."

Angela sighed again, a habit of hers, and smiled gently. "You're not in trouble this time. Just go to sleep, okay?" She watched as Raelynn nodded, but then bit her lip, as if wanting something but was too afraid to ask. "What is it?"

Raelynn glanced up at her mother before quickly diverting her eyes. "Could… could you sing me something?" she asked timidly. Her mother, although taken aback for a moment, soon smiled and nodded her head.

"I won't be as good as you," she said, "but I'll try my best. Hmm… How about this: _can this be true? Tell me, can this be real? How can I put into words what I feel? My life was complete; I thought I was whole. Why do I feel like I'm losing control? I never thought that love could feel like this, and you've changed my world with just one kiss. How can it be that right here with me there's an angel? It's a miracle…"_

Raelynn closed her eyes, a peaceful smile on her face, and she began to sleepily sing along with Angela, whose voice, although nothing exceptional, was still pretty and sweet.

_"Your love is like a river, peaceful and deep. Your soul is like a secret that I never could keep. When I look into your eyes I know that it's true—God must have spent a little more time on you…"_

Angela bent down and placed a loving kiss to Raelynn's check as she slipped into the world of the sleep. She quietly and swiftly got up and walked out, closing the door behind her. Still smiling, the beautiful mother walked down the stairs to get a glass of water before heading off for bed. Just as she was about the go back up the stairs, full glass in hand, someone knocked on the door. Eyebrows furrowed and muttering to herself, Angela crossed the floor and unlocked the door, opening it.

She had just enough time to scream before both she and the glass fell to the floor, staining the floor with watered-out red.

**Note: **So, should I continue? I'm not sure if I'm going to or not...


End file.
